Shortening dispenser



Dec. 27, 1955 R. SPURGEON SHORTENING DISPENSER Filed Feb. 21, 1951 INVENTOR. Ray Spurgeon (Z410! c, ma

l7 7'TORNE Y SHORTENING DISPENSER Ray Spurgeon, Maple Valley, Wash.

Application February 21, 1951, Serial No. 212,068

6 Claims. (Cl. 222-181) This invention relates to a kitchen utensil in the nature of a dispensing device for dispensing shortening material out of a can.

An object of this invention is to provide a shortening dispenser which makes it possible to dispense measured amounts of shortening, in accordance with kitchen requirements, directly out of an original shortening container, such as the can in which the shortening is marketed.

Another object is to provide a shortening dispenser which utilizes the can in which the shortening is marketed as a part of the frame of the dispensing device.

Another object is to provide a shortening dispenser having a base portion which may be permanently attached to an upright support, such as a wall in a kitchen, where it will always be instantly available for dispensing shortening in any amount required.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shortening dispenser which does not require the shortening to be transferred from one container to another but allows the shortening to remain in the original can until such time as it is dispensed for use and to further provide a shortening dispenser from which an empty shortening can may be quickly and easily removed and replaced by a full can.

Another object is to provide a shortening dispenser in which the shortening is maintained in a tightly closed receptacle so that it is fully protected from outside contamination and in which the shortening is dispensed under some pressure in a solid condition and free from voids and air pockets.

Another object is to provide a shortening dispenser which is constructed in such a manner as to facilitate the dispensing of a measured amount of shortening and which is further provided with novel means for measuring the amount of shortening dispended.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shortening dispenser having means which makes it possible for a person to accurately determine at any time how much shortening material remains in the shortening can.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a shortening dispenser which is simple in construction, not expensive to manufacture, easy to operate, and one which will conserve shortening by maintaining the same in a sanitary, dust proof, moisture proof and substantially air tight container.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings- Figure l is a view in medial vertical section, with parts in elevation, showing a shortening dispenser constructed in accordance with this invention, a shortening can being shown in the dispenser but the shortening being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a view in cross section, with parts in plan, taken substantially on broken line 22 of Fig. 1.

[ nited States Patent O Fig. 3 is a detached fragmentary side view of a clamp member used in connection with this invention.

Fig. 4 is a side view of a measuring device used in connection with this invention.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

This shortening dispenser comprises a horizontal base plate 5 having a rounded or arcuate forward portion and having a straight back portion which is adapted to fit squarely against a wall 6 or like support. Preferably the base plate 5 has a downwardly extending marginal flange 7. Brackets 6' may be used to secure the base plate 5 to the wall 6.

The central portion of the base plate 5 is depressed below the level of the marginal portions of the same to form a shallow cylindrical recess with upright annular marginal walls 8. A sealing ring 9 of U shaped cross section and of resilient material, such as neoprene is disposed within the centrally recessed portion of the base plate adjacent the marginal walls 8 thereof.

The seam 10 on the lower end portion of a shortening can 10, which has had both end walls removed therefrom, is adapted to rest on and in the channel shaped gasket ring 9. A downwardly extending centrally positioned discharge tubell is provided on the base plate 5.

The upper portion of this shortening dispenser comprises a cap member 12 of inverted cup shape. The bottom end portion of the annular wall of the cup member 12 has a circular shoulder 13 adapted to rest on the top end of the shortening can 10. Also the bottom end portion of the cap 12 has an annular inclined flange 14 which flares outwardly and downwardly from the shoulder 13 and forms, on the bottom of the cap 12, a shallow bell shaped guide and positioning member. The outwardly flaring flange 14 helps center the cap on the can 10 and prevents relative transverse movement between the cap and the can 10.

The upper end wall of the cap 12 has an external annular groove 15 positioned near the outer margin thereof. A plurality of clamps, one of which is shown in Fig. 1, are used to secure the cap 12 on a can 10 which rests on the base plate 5. Each clamp comprises a clamp member 16, a clamp lever 17, a pivot 18 connecting the two members 16 and 17, a tension bar 19, a pivot 20 connecting the tension bar 19 and the clamp lever 17, a hook member 21, and a tension spring 22 connecting the hook member 21 with the end portion of the tension bar 19 remote from the pivot 20. A book 23 is provided on the end portion of the clamp member 16 remote from the pivot 18. The clamp member 16 and clamp lever 17 are preferably of channel shaped cross section so they will interfit and to provide ample strength. When the clamp lever 17 is in a position as shown in Fig. 3 the hooks 23 and 21 may be readily engaged with the cap 12 and flange 7 of base plate 5.

If the lever 17 is then moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 parts 16, 19, 22 and 21 will be placed under tension and the pivots 18 and 20 will relatively pass center and lock and the clamp member will exert a resilient force tending to hold the base 5 and can 10 and cap 12 in assembled relation.

Fig. 2 shows three of the previously described clamps used on this dispenser with the hook members 21 of the two clamps toward the rear extending downwardly through holes 24 in the base plate 5 and engaged with downwardly extending lugs 25, see dotted lines in Fig. 2. The lugs 25 may be formed by bending downwardly the parts of the base plate 5 which are stamped out to provide the holes 24. Obviously the number of clamps used on a shortening dispenser may be varied and I may use two oppositely positioned clamps, as indicated by the hook members 21' shown in Fig. 2.

The cap 12 has an upwardly extending centrally positioned tubular hub 26 within which'an internally threaded cylindrical nut 27 is rotatively disposed. The lower end portion of the cylindrical nut 27, has an outwardly extending annularvflange 28 which is seatedwithin a recess 29 in the cap 12: Preferably a bearing washer 30- is provided under the flange 28. The flange 28 serves'as a head to hold the cap 12 and nut 27 in assembled relation and to withstand upward thrust on'the nut 27.

The upper end portion of the cylindrical nut 27" extends above the upper end'of' the hub 26 and is rigidly connected with a handwheel 31 by which the cylindrical nut 27 may be turned. One satisfactory wayto secure the handwheel 31 on the nut 27 is to threadthe hub portion 32 of the handwheel onto the .upperend'portion of.

the cylindrical'nut 27 and to secure these two parts against relative rotation by the use of a key-or pin 33;

A feed screw 34is threaded throughthe cylindrical nut 27. The lower end of the feed screw ,34 is rigidly at tached to a piston plate 35'. This attachment may be made by threading the lower end portion-of the feed screw 34 into the piston plate 35 and securing the same by means of a key or pin 36. The piston plate 35 has a disc shaped cup rubber 37 secured' thereto as by a disc 38 and screws 39. The cup rubber 37 has downwardly extending peripheral skirt portions 40 which are of the proper size to fit snugly within the can 10. Cans 10 in which shortening is marketed are of substantially uniform and standard size and the parts of this device will fit these cans accurately.

The feed screw 24 extends above the hub 32 of the handwheel 31 and an upwardly extending tubular shield 42 of fairly stiff but elastic material is secured to the handwheel hub 32 and is positionedto receive and shield the feed screw 34. The shield 42 will normally stand upright but a person using the dispenser may, with the fingers, feel the location of the top end of the screw 34 and in this way ascertain the amount of shortening left in a can 10.

Preferably a readily removable cover member of pliable material, namely cover member 43 in Fig. l, is provided for application to the discharge tube 11 to prevent contamination of the shortening material by way of said tube 11. This cover 43 is removed when shortening is being dispensed.

In the use of this shortening dispenser a can of shortening is prepared for use by removing bothend walls thereof. The shortening material is stilf enough so that it will remain in the can after these end walls are removed until displaced. The can thus prepared is placed on the base plate with one end thereof on the gasket 9. The cap 12 is placed on the upper end of the can and the clamps are applied to firmly clamp the base 5 and can 16 and cap i2 together. The can 10 is thus made to function as a. part of the frame work of the dispenser. At the time the cap 12 is applied to the can 10 the piston parts 35, 37 and 3S'will ordinarily be fully retracted and will be within the cup shaped cap 12; Rotation in the proper direction of the handwheel 31 will move the piston assembly down and cause the same to enter the can 10 with the skirt 4% in close contact with the walls of the can. Further downward movement of the piston after it has contacted the shortening in the can will begin to extrude shortening outwardly through the discharge tube 11. The disc 38, being fairly thick and extending below the piston skirt 49 will crowd substantially the last bit of shortening out of a can and into the discharge tube at the end of the piston stroke.

The shortening is extruded in cylindrical form out of the tube 11 and it may be accurately measured by the use of a measuring gauge 44, Fig. 4, which forms part of this dispenser. This gauge may have properly sized lobes for measuring dilierent quantities of shortening ordinarily used in the kitchen. The gauge 44 shown in Fig. 4 has three measuring elements or lobes 46, 47 and 48 which are calibrated to a suitable length tomeasure respectively, one half, one third and one fourth cup of shortening. The measuring gauge 44 is necessarily calibrated to suit the diameter of the discharge tube 11.

The measuring gauge is used by placing one corner portion of one of the lobes against or flush with the lower end of the discharge tube 11 and extruding shortening of a length equal to the length of the selected lobe. Obviously the lobes may have intermediate markings for measuring amounts less than the full length of the lobes if desired.

After a desired amount of shortening has been extruded it may be cut oil? with a knife fiush'with the outlet end of the discharge tube 11.

The cap 12 always rests on the top of the can 10 and prevents contamination of the shortening from the top. Also it prevents access to the shortening from above. The pliable cap 43 is quickly and easily applied to and removed from the discharge tube 11 and prevents contamination of the shortening in said tube 11.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose what I now regard as a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and that changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Shortening dispenser means adapted to dispense adapted to connect said cap. with said base plate and to hold said cap and said can in assembled relation on said base plate; an axially positioned nut rotatively supported by said cap; manually operable nut rotating means connected with said nut and positioned above said-cap; a feed screw threaded through said nut and extending above said cap; a tubular shield of flexible material carried by said nut rotating means and adapted to shield said feed screw, said flexible shield being adapted to be pressed against the feed screw, whereby the amount of shortening in the can may be determined by feeling the position of the top end of said feed screw; and a piston carried by the feed screw and positioned below the cap and movable longitudinally within the can. 7

2. Shortening dispenser means adapted to dispense the shortening from a conventional shortening can which has had both end walls removed'therefrom, comprising a rigidly supported horizontal base plate having a can centering depression in its upper side; sealing means within said depression positioned to receive the lower end of a shortening can which is supported on said base plate; an inverted cup shaped cap havingannular peripheral side walls adapted to rest on the top edge of the can, said cap having an axially positioned nut receiving opening therein; an externally cylindrical internally threaded nut rotatively disposed in said opening and extending above said cap; an outwardly extending head flange on the lower end of said nut engaging said cap; a-handwheel secured to the upper end portion of said nut; a thrust screw threaded through said nut and extending above-said cap; a tubular shield of flexible material carried by said handwheel and extending above the same and shielding said feed screw, said shield being adapted to be pressed against the feed screw, whereby the amount of shortening in the can may be determined by-feeling the position of said feed screw; a plurality of readily detachable clamp members adapted to connect-said cap with said base plate; and piston means carried by the lower end of a said feed screw and operable in the can to discharge shortening material through the discharge tube.

3. Shortening dispenser means adapted to dispense the shortening from a conventional shortening can which has had both end walls removed therefrom, comprising a rigidly supported horizontal base plate having a can centering depression in its upper'side; sealing means within said depression positioned to receive the lower end of the can; a discharge tube extending downwardly from said base plate; a cap of inverted cup shape having an annular peripheral side wall providing a downwardly directed shoulder adapted to rest on the top edge of the shortening can; an inclined guide and centering flange on said cap extending downwardly and outwardly from said shoulder; a plurality of readily detachable clamps connecting said cap and said base plate; a centrally positioned hub on said cap having an axially disposed opening therein; an externally cylindrical internally threaded nut rotatively disposed in said opening and extending above said hub; an outwardly extending flange on the lower end of said nut, said cap having a recess receiving said flange; a handwheel secured to the upper end portion of said nut; a feed screw threaded through said nut and extending above said handwheel; a tubular feed screw shield of flexible but self supporting material carried by and extending above said handwheel shielding said feed screw; a piston carried by the feed screw and longitudinally movable in the can; and a cup rubber with a downwardly directed peripheral skirt carried by the piston.

4. Shortening dispenser means adapted to dispense the shortening from a conventional shortening can which has had both end walls removed therefrom, comprising a rigidly supported horizontal base plate supporting the shortening can in an upright position; a discharge tube extending downwardly from said base plate; a cap of inverted cup shape having a bottom recess of substantial depth and of a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the can and having an annular shoulder below said recess resting on the top edge of the can; a plurality of readily detachable clamp members connecting said cap with said base plate and holding said cap and said can in assembled relation on said base plate; a feed screw threaded through said cap; feed screw operating means connected with said feed screw above said cap; and a piston carried by the feed screw and positioned below the cap for longitudinal movement within the can, the portion of the recess in said cap above the can top engaging shoulder thereof being of a diameter at least as large as the piston and of a depth at least as great as the thickness of the piston, whereby when the piston is retracted into the cap said cap can be applied to the can with the shoulder thereof resting on the top of the can and the bottom of the piston at least substantially clear of the plane of the top of the can and without displacing any of the shortening in the can.

5. Shortening dispenser means adapted to dispense the shortening from a conventional shortening can which has had both end walls removed therefrom, comprising a rigidly supported horizontal base plate supporting the shortening can in an upright position; a discharge tube extending downwardly from said base plate; a cap of inverted cup shape having a bottom recess of substantial depth and of a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the can and having an annular shoulder below said recess resting on the top edge of the can; a plurality of readily detachable clamp members connecting said cap with said base plate and holding said cap and said can in assembled relation on said base plate; an axially positioned nut rotatively supported in said cap; manually operable nut rotating means connected with said nut and positioned above the cap; a feed screw threaded through the nut; and a piston carried by the feed screw and positioned below the cap and movable longitudinally within the can, the portion of the recess in said cap above the can top engaging shoulder thereof being of a diameter at least as large as the piston and of a depth at least as great as the thickness of the piston, whereby when the piston is retracted into the recess in the cap said cap can be applied to the can with the shoulder thereof resting on the top of the can and the bottom of the piston at least substantially clear of the plane of the top of the can and without displacing any of the shortening in the can.

6. Shortening dispenser means adapted to dispense shortening from a conventional shortening can which has had both end walls removed therefrom, comprising a rig idly supported horizontal base plate having a discharge opening therein; positioning means on the base plate receiving and positioning the bottom end of the can and supporting the can in an upright position; sealing ring means between the base plate and the bottom end of the can; a cap of inverted cup shape having a bottom recess of substantial depth and of a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the can and having an annular shoulder below said recess resting on the top edge of the can; a plurality of readily detachable clamp members connecting said cap with said base plate and holding said cap and said can in assembled relation on said base plate; a piston carried by the cap and movable longitudinally within the can; and piston moving means operable from above the cap, the portion of the recess in said cap above the can top engaging shoulder thereof being of a diameter at least as great as the piston and of a depth at least as great as the thickness of the piston, whereby when the piston is retracted into the recess in the cap said cap can be applied to the can with the shoulder thereof resting on the top of the can and the bottom of the piston at least substantially clear of the plane of the top of the can and without displacing any of the shortening in the can.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,571,634 McSpadden Feb. 2, 1926 1,602,937 Rietf Oct. 12, 1926 1,672,980 Hawkins June 12, 1928 1,737,735 Schmidt Dec. 3, 1929 2,253,150 Thompson Aug. 19, 1941 2,373,444 Azpiazu Apr. 10, 1945 2,485,467 Weisbaum Oct. 18, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 183,372 Great Britain July 27, 1922 388,461 France June 1, 1908 589,654 France Feb. 26, 1925 

